Fountain-stopper for ink-bottles and the like



I. 0. SMITH.

FOUNTAIN STOPPER FOR INK BOTTLES AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED IUNE26. 1919.

l ,366,428. Y Patented Jan. 25, 1921.,

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J. O. SMITH.

FOUNTAIN STOPPER FOR INK BOTTLES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNE2E, T919.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES'PATKENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. SMITH, OF MOBERLY, MISSOURI.

FOUNTAIN-STOPPER FOR INK-BOTTLES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed .Tune 26,

T o all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN O. SMITH, a citizen `of the United States, residing at the city of Moberly, county of Randolph, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful F ountain-Stopper for Ink-Bottles and the like, of'which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Thisinvention relates generally to stoppers for ink-bottles and. more particularly, to a certain new and useful fountain stopper for ink-bottles and the like.

The principal objects of my present invention are to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable, readily manufactured, and efficient fountain-stopper which is especially' adapt-- ed for use in connection with ordinary inkbottles and which may be conveniently-substituted in such bottles for the ordinary cork-Stoppers usually furnished by the inkbottler or manufacturer; to provide a fountain-stopper, which is especially adapted for the use stated, comprising a pen-dipping bell and means whereby, under the pressure of a writing-pen dipped'into the bell` a limited or measured supply of ink for the pen flows from the bottle into the bell, soiling of the fingers from too much ink on the pen being thus obviated, the accomplishment of neater and cleaner work by the pen expedited, and economical use of the ink had, the unused ink remaining in the bell on removal of the pen returning'into the bottle and exposure to loss by drying out'due to evaporation being consequently prevented; and to provide a fountain-stopper especially of the construction stated with means in the form of a suitable cork adapted for insertion into the pen-dipping bell not only to prevent spilling of the ink when the bottle or other receptacle is in transit, in trade, or not in use, but also to facilitate the disassembling of the stopper for purposes of repair or cleaning.

`Witli the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described and afterward pinted'out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a. fountain-stopper constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention, the stopper being illustrated in connection with an Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an.

25, 1921. 1919. serial No. 306,977.

ordinary ink-bottle, which is .also shown in vert-ical section;

F 1g. 2 is also a vertical sectional view of the fountain-stopper, illustrating diagrammatically by. arrows the action of the several mechanical parts under pressure of a pen and the consequent movement or flow of the ink; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, indicating by arrows the action of the mechanical parts and the movement or flow of the ink upon a removal or release of the pen pressure;

F ig. 4 is an elevational view of the stopper proper, showing its bell and draintube;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a tubular extension of the stopper, adapting the stopper to various heights of bottles;

`Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are plan, elevational, and inverted plan views, respectively, of the valve-seat and piston, which act to retain a quantity of ink above the level of the ink in the bottle for ready elevation to the endipping bell and to elevate an additional quantity of ink from the bott-1e upon a dipping of a pen;

Figs. 9 and 10 are plan and elevational views, respectively, of the pen-engaging plate and piston-support;

Figs. 11 and 12 are elevational and plan views, respectively, of the valve which controls the ink-flow from the bottle to the stopper;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view of the ink-bottle and fountain-stopper shown in connection with the cork employed to prevent ink-spilling when the bottle is not in use; and

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the fountain-stopper, illustrating the employment of the cork to hold the pen-plate against rotation to facilitate the removal of the piston for purposes of repair or cleaning.

Referring now more in detail to the said drawings, in which like reference charac; f

frequently, on its first removal from the bottle, rendered unfit for subsequent use, a new cork being thereby necessitated, or if the bottle-neck is left open, the ink is at once subject to evaporation or spilling. With the bottle alone, employed as a well for pendipping, a writer is annoyed by either a too shallow or a too deep dipping of his pen and, in the latter instance, is subject to soiling his fingers by the ink; and unless the cork-stopper is removed and replaced each time the pen is to be dipped, there is an extravagant waste of ink by evaporation and deterioration. My stopper is of such construction as to provide especially a stopper in substitution for the usual cork furnished by the bottler and is arranged to be actuated by the pen to elevate into a dipping well a small or limited quantity of ink sufficient only to supply the pen; the pen beingsupplied andremoved from the bell, the ink remaining in the bell automatically drains to a chamber within the bottle, where it is held free from exposure to evaporation, yet readily available for sub sequent and repeated pen dippings.

My new stopper comprises a cylinder or tube 1 arranged for insertion into the bottle, and which has its top flared outwardly to form a bell 2 providing a relatively large mouth for the entrance and reception of a writing-pen C. The cylinder or tube 1 forms a stopper for the bottle and is made conformable to various diameters of bottlenecks by means of a sleeve 3 preferably of cork or other non-porous material, which tapers axially to provide within its length variable diametrical dimensions to Atightly .fit the bottle-neck of the particular bottle into rwhich the vstopper may be inserted.

Formed in the wall of the tube limmediately belo-w the bell 2 and preferably within the length of the sleeve 3, is a drain-opening or" orifice 4, and communicating with the drain-opening 4 and extending parallel with the tube l to a point below the sleeve 3, is a drain-tube 5./ For durability and economical reasons, the tube or cylinder 1 and its bell 2 may be formed out of relatively light weight and otherwise suitable material which will not corrode under contact with the ink, and for the reason that I desire a tight fit between the sleeve 3 and the bottle,

I preferably provide a push-plate or Hange- 6, which surrounds the tube 1 above the sleeve 3 and which will be sufiiciently stiff to withstand the pressure incident to the placement of fthe stopper in the bottle. The upper end of the drain-tube 5 is suitably closed, as by the push-plate 6, so that there will be no opening, other than the bell 2, for the exposure of the ink inthe bottle.

Due -to variations in the bottle heights and the desirability of reaching the greatest depth limit of the bottle, I provide a tube 8,

which is telescopically fitted over the main tube or cylinder l to constitute an extension thereof, and which during the placement of the stop-per is drawn downwardly thereon, so that when the stopper is inserted into the bottle, the tube 8 will meet the bottom of the bottle prior to a full seating of the sleeve 3 and remain at the bottom of the bottle while the cylinder or tube 1 is continued in its downward movement until the sleeve 3 is fully seated.

Fitted for slidable movement within the cylinder l, is apiston 9, whose periphery engages in a. substantially fluid tight lit with the inner surface of the cylinder 1, and which is provided with an upstanding neck 10 in which is formed a valve seat 11 for the reception above the piston of a. checkvalve, such as the ball, 12.

Connected with the piston 9 above the check-valve 12, is a disk 13, which is of lesser diametrical dimension than the cylinder 1, to permit the flow of ink upwardly as the disk moves downwardly. As such disk receives its movement from a pressure of the writers pen, in the act of dipping, [the same may be appropriately termed and designated the pen-plate. Preferably the connectionl between the piston 9 and the penplate 13, is a tube 14, which may have its lower end internally threaded for engagement with external threads formed on the piston-neck 10 to inclose the valve 12 and its seat 11, and which may have its upper end soldered or otherwise permanently fixed to the pen-plate 13, the tube 14 being formed adjacent the pen-plate 13 with perforations or openings -15 for the flow of ink into the cylinder l above the piston 9 and the checkvalve 12.

Fixed within the cylinder 1 above the path of thepiston 9, is a ring 16 providing an abutment for one end of an extensile coil spring 17. which is disposed around the connecting tube 14 and impinges or abuts at its other or upper end against the under face of the pen-plate 13 and serves to normally hold the pen-plate 13 yieldingly above the plane of the drain-opening 4 and hence in a position to serve as a cover for the ink contained in the cylinder 1 above the check-valve 12, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fixed within and yat the lower end of the extension-tube 8, is a. limiting-seat. 18 for a second check-valve 19, which latter, like the ball-check 12, is moved to open position by the upward flow of ink and closed by gravity; however, during the downward movement of the piston 9, when the ballcheck l2 is raised or unseated, the valve 19 is lowered or seated, and conversely,` during the upward movement of the piston. when the ball-check 12 is seated, the valve 19 is unseated.

In Fig. 1 I show the stopper operatively positioned in an ink-bottle, ready for service as an ink-fountain, and show the ink within the stopper covered against exposure to evaporation and the admission of dust and other foreign particles by the pen-plate 13. In Fig. 2, I show the fountain-parts as at a time when a pen C is being dipped or supplied, wherein it will be observed that the piston in its vdownward movement, -under the pressure of the pen and against the tension of the spring 17, is forcing the ink contained in the cylinder above the valve 19 upwardly through the ball-check 12, through the tube 14 and holes or perforations 15, into the cylinder, and then upwardly around the pen-plate 13 into the bell 2, to stand at a level, proportionate with the movement of the piston, as indicated by the line 2a, affording a depth of ink sufficient for ordinary pen-supply. In Fig. 3, I show the fountain-parts as at a time when the pen is supplied and pressure thereof relieved or taken from the pen-plate, the spring 17 acting to restore the piston and pen-plate to their initial or normal position, the valve 19 being unseated on the upstroke of the piston and ink from the bottle being drawn into the cylinder for elevation into the bell,

.as described; at the same. time, on plate 13 returning to normal position, ink in the bell 2 above the plane of the drain-opening 4 drains back through the opening 4 and tube 5 into the bottle. Thus on each depression of the pen-plate 13 and piston 9, but a limited -or measured quantity of ink is pumped or elevated above the pen-plate for supplying the pen, whereby I secure the advantages hereinbefore mentioned. I may add that, not only are the cylinder 1 and its bell 2 preferably of suitable material which will not corrodeunder contact with the ink, but also the other parts of the .stopper.` which come into contact with the ink are similarly so constructed. My fountainstopper is hence exceedingly durable; it is simple and inexpensive in form and -construction andhas been found most etlcient in use and operation. 1.-

As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, I preferably provide a removable cork 20 for the cylinder 1 and its bell 2. This cork 20 is preferably in the form of a hollow shell of rubber or other suitable and preferably yielding material, so as to tightly engagethe bell 2, as shown, and is provided in its side wall near its top with a vent-hole 21 through which air from the interior is vented to facilitate the placement of the cork in, and its removal from, the bell 2. The cork 20 with its vent open is pressed or inserted in the bell 2 to a depth sucient to afford firm seatin so that there will `be little V1likelihood o the corks accidental or undesired displacement or removal, whereby the bottle may be subjected to inversions or tilting without danger of spilling the ink. To increase the tight seating etliciency of the cork 20, I preferably provide for the vent-hole 21 a closure in the form of a disk-shaped plate 22, which is carried to yieldingly close the vent 21 on the upper end of a spring 23 disposed within the cork and riveted or otherwise fixed, as at 24, at its lower end to the cock near its bottom. To provide for the mounting of the spring 23 and vent-closure 22 within the cork, the cork is suitably formed as in sections or halves, as is common in the formation of hollow rubber articles and the like, the sections or halves being seamed or joined after the spring 23 and plate 22 have been arranged and mounted therein. Fixed at one end to the plate 22 and disposed for movementz in the vent-hole 21, is a pushstem 25, which is conveniently manipulated inwardly to open the vent to release the air from the cork when it is desired to either place the cork in, or remove the cork from, the fountain-stopper.

The pen-plate 13 on its upper face and the cork 20 on its under face are also preferably coperatively milled or otherwise roughened, as shown, whereby, when the cork is used, the cork is adapted to engage the pen-plate 13 and clutch-like holdthe plate 13 against rotation and thus facilitate theV removal or unthreading of the piston 9 for purposes of repair or cleaning, the piston 9 being provided on its under face with a screw-slot, as at 26, for the convenient reception of a suitable tool 27 for the purpose.

Iam aware that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the fountain-stopper may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a fountain-stopper for ink-bottles and the like including, in combination, a cylinder adapted to tit in the neck of the bottle, the cylinder when fitted in the bottle-neck being also adapted for communication with the interior of the bottle, a plate disposed yieldingly for vertical movement in the cylinder, an apertured tube of reduced diame ter relatively to vthe cylinder depending within the cylinder from the plate, and a piston arranged for sliding movement in the cylinder and having an aperture leading into the' tube, the piston being fixed to the tube and being adapted, on depression of the plate, for elevating ink in the cylinder and through the piston-aperture and tube to above Vthe depressed plane of the plate.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a fountain-stopper lfor ink-bottles and the like comprising, in combination, a cylinder adapted to fit in the neck of the bottle, the cylinder when fitted in the bottle-neck being also adapted for communication with the interior of the bottle, a plate disposed yieldingly for vertical movement in the cylinder, an apertured tube of reduced diameter relatively to the cylinder depending within the cylinder from the plate, ag piston arranged for sliding movement in the cylinder and having an aperture leading into the tube, the piston being fixed to the tube and being adapted, on depression of the plate, for elevating ink in the cylinder and through the piston-aperture and tube to above the depressed plane of the plate, and a valve associated with the piston-aperture for closing the same on movement of the plate to normal position.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a fountain-stopper for ink-bottles and the like comprising, in combination, a cylinder adapted to fit in the neck of the bottle, the cylinder when fitted in the bottle-neck being also adapted for communication with the interior of the bottle, a plate disposed yieldingly for vertical movement in the cylinder, means including an apertured piston rigidly connected to, and spaced in the cylinder from the plate, adapted, on depression of the plate, for elevating ink in the cylinder and through the piston-aperture to above the depressed plane of the plate, a valve associated with the piston-aperture for closing the same on movement of the plate to normal position, and a drain within the stroke of the plate leading from the cylinder to the interior of the bottle for draining the cylinder to a level below the normal plane of the plate.

As a new article of manufacture, a fountain-stopper for ink-bottles and the like comprising, in combination, a cylinder adapted to fit in the neck of the bottle, the cylinder when fitted in the bottle-neck being also adapted for communication with the interior of the bottle, a plate disposed yieldingly for vertical movement in the cylinder, an apertured piston rigidly connected to, and spaced in the cylinder from, the plate, the piston being adapted, on depression of the plate, for elevating ink in the cylinder and through the piston-aperture to above the depressed plane of the plate, o-ppositely actuating check-valves in the cylinder both above and below the piston aperture for controlling the flow of ink on actuation of the piston into the cylinder and through the piston-aperture, and a drain within the stroke of the plate leading from the cylinder to the interior of the bottle for draining the cylinder to a level below the normal plane of the plate.

5. As a new article ofV manufacture, a fountain-stopper for ink-bottles and the like comprising, in combination, a cylinder adapted to fit in the neck ofthe bottle, the cylinder when fitted in the bottle-neck being also adapted-for communication with the interior of the bottle, a plate disposed for vertical' movement in the cylinder, means for yieldingly supporting the plate in the cylinder, a tube depending within the cylinder from the plate, and an apertured piston rigidly connected tothe tube and arranged for movement in the cylinder, the piston being adapted, on depression of the plate, for elevating ink from the bottle to above the depressed plane of the plate.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a fountain-stopper for ink-bottles and the like comprising, in combination, a cylinder adapted to fit in the neck of the bottle, the cylinder when fitted in the bottle-neck being also adapted for communication with the interior of the bottle, a plate disposed for vertical movement in the cylinder, an apertured piston disposed for movement in the cylinder below the plate, a perforated tube of reduced diameter relatively to the cylinder disposed in the cylinder between, and rigidly connected to, the plate and piston,'and a spring disposed within the cylinder and coiled around the tube for yieldingly supporting the connected plate and piston in normal position.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a

fountain stopper for ink bottles and theA like comprising a cylinder adapted to lit in the neck of thebottle, means including a yieldingly held apertured-piston slidable in the cylinder for pumping or elevating ink from the bottle up into the cylinder, and a valve associated with the aperture of the piston for closing the same on return movement of the piston'to normal position.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a fountain stopper for ink bottles and the like comprising a cylinder adapted to t in the neck of the bottlemeans including a yieldingly-held apertuILed-piston slidable in the cylinder for pumplng or elevating ink from the bottle up into the cylinder, and valves associated with the piston and cylinder for controlling the flow of ink on actuation of the piston into the cylinder and through the piston aperture.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 

